River fight 2011

Saturday, July 2, 2011

By Marcia Gorrell/Staff writer

An area heat advisory didn't stop Malta Bend farmers and other volunteers as they filled sandbags in the riverbottoms on Friday, July 1. With the water rising higher than the Corps of Engineers' predictions, crews sandbagged the low spots on a private levee in front of the main Malta Bend levee.

A line of sandbags keeps water from going over low spots Friday, July 1 on a private levee near Malta Bend. The Missouri River was slowly rising higher than Army Corp of Engineers' predictions. As this picture was taken, the level was close to 29.7 feet.

A farm field looks more like a lake in the Missouri River bottoms near Malta Bend. With the river above flood stage for over 4 weeks, the highest water yet hit on July 2 at 30.12 feet at Waverly. Farmers and volunteers were busy sandbagging to hold a private levee in the bottoms which protects several farm fields.